‘Wyatt Earp’ Bringing His Gun to Anteaters

Hoping to fill a need for a strong outside shooter, the UC Irvine men’s basketball team landed a commitment from Bakersfield College guard Chris Brown over the weekend.

Brown, a 6-foot-2 sophomore with two years of eligibility remaining, committed to the Anteaters after a weekend visit and plans to sign a letter of intent with them Wednesday.

Brown led Bakersfield in scoring last season with a 19.1 average. He shot 40.9% from three-point range, making 130 of 318 shots. Irvine shot 36% as a team last season (166 of 462).

“Chris shoots it like Wyatt Earp,” Bakersfield Coach Mark Arce said. “His arm was in a sling for two weeks after the season because it was so tired from shooting.”

Basketball Coach Rod Baker has been named an assistant coach for the U.S. entry in the World University Games, scheduled for July 8-18 in Buffalo, N.Y.

Other assistant coaches are UCLA’s Jim Harrick and Cincinnati’s Bob Huggins. Air Force Coach Reggie Minton is the U.S. team’s head coach.

Baker assisted in the trial selections for the 1990 Goodwill Games and also was a scout.

Thirty-two teams are expected to compete in the tournament.

Several Irvine athletes are scheduled to visit county middle schools throughout this month as part of the National Student-Athlete outreach program.

The program, established by Northeastern University’s Center for the Study of Sport in Society, includes messages on academic and athletic balance and avoiding drug and alcohol abuse.

Former swimmer Garret Matsuura and senior basketball player Yvonne Catala, members of Irvine’s student-athlete advisory board, are coordinating the outreach program.

Anteater Notes

The men’s basketball banquet will be at 6 p.m. April 28 at the Irvine Marriott Hotel Pavilion. Dinner price is $30 per person. Call (714) 856-8536 for more information.

The Anteater basketball camp for boys and girls age 8-17 will be June 28-July 2 and August 9-13. Cost for the day camp is $195 per player and the resident camp is $375 per player. Call (714) 856-8536 for more information.